Goddess of the Moon
by Redshadow43
Summary: Voldemort is angry with Xenophilius Lovegood for printing adverse material concerning his Death Eaters and himself,so he pays the man a visit and decides to force his cooperation by taking Luna home with him-with an ulterior motive, of course...
1. Chapter 1

A/N: J K Rowling owns the Harry Potter characters, I'm just bringing them out to play...

CHAPTER ONE

Lord Voldemort picked up the Quibbler that one of his Death Eaters had brought him with the expectation that Xenophilias Lovegood had heeded his warnings. He had sent more than one of his servants to inform the man that he should stop printing derogatory remarks about the activities of his organization and himself. He had no tolerance for anyone who wished to undermine his plans, even in such a small way as the printed word.

His eyes widened as he perused the front page. "Certain malicious persons who would like to see my opinions change should not hold their breath…"

Did this man have a death wish? he wondered. Perhaps he would have to visit himself to drive the message home. With a swirl of robes the snakelike man Apparated there straightaway, and stormed right into the man's home. It was, however, not the man he first encountered, but a lovely blonde he assumed must be his daughter.

"Oh, my!" she said, looking much more curious than she did frightened.

"Where is your father, girl?" Voldemort demanded hotly.

"I'm sorry, sir, he isn't here right now," she informed him. "He shouldn't be gone long if—well, if you would like to wait?"

"Wait?" he repeated incredulously.

"I could make us some tea, if you like," she offered.

"Very well," he huffed, and threw himself into a nearby chair with a somewhat sulky air. Luna cast a spell to heat the water as she sat across from him and cast him a speculative glance. Voldemort sat up straighter to look at her as well. "You're not afraid of me, are you?" he asked.

"Should I be?" she inquired, and he shook his head as if he couldn't believe she'd had to ask. "You know, you really need to learn to relax, my Lord. Your shoulders are all tensed up, and that scowl can't be very good at preventing your frequent headaches."

"What do you know about my headaches?" he wanted to know.

"I know you've got one right now," she said, and Voldemort watched incredulously as she stepped behind his chair and started to rub his shoulders. "How could you not have one with that much pent up energy? You should really find an outlet."

"Isn't that what you'd call taking over the world?" he inquired.

"Well, no, I think that may even be contributing to the problem," she said. "I'll bet you let every little setback build up inside you instead of just letting them go. Nobody can have every single thing they want—not even a great and powerful Dark Lord. I say, don't sweat the little things."

"When exactly is your father coming back?" Voldemort asked as he leaned back so she could reach his shoulders better. Luna laughed, and rubbed harder. He sighed contentedly and closed his eyes.

"Actually, I'm here now," said Xenophilius as he popped into view. "Luna, go finish making the tea. I believe the Dark Lord and I have something to talk about, or why else would he be here?"

"Yes, father," she said, and stepped into the kitchen, though she could still hear them perfectly well.

"Lovegood, you've been printing some pretty nasty things about me in that paper of yours," Voldemort said in menacing tones as he stepped up to look him right in the eye. "I thought my servants would have made it clear to you that I wish for a more favorable review, but it seems I must bring that message to you myself."

"Lord Voldemort, I am not one of your servants," Xenophilius told him. "I have always been compelled to print the truth—even if it is not a truth that He-Who-Does-Not-Like-It prefers to have revealed."

"I have given this matter a great deal of thought," said the Dark Lord as he straightened up and took a step back. "I have often found that in the absence of cooperation, coercion can just as easily create the desired effect."

"There is nothing you have that you could use to coerce me, sir," he said stoically.

"Perhaps not before," he said as Luna came into the room with the tea, and he turned to grab her arm as he added. "But I believe I'm about to have an edge over you now."

"Let go of her!" he gasped, anger springing into his eyes. Luna's eyes grew wide with surprise, and she couldn't figure out what to do with the tea tray.

"No, I think not," said Voldemort fluidly as he drew the girl against his chest. "I think instead I shall bring her along with me. Perhaps if your daughter is with me, you will curb your wayward tongue for her sake."

"I will cease my writings if you will leave her here," the man promised in a wailing tone.

"No, I do not believe it," said the Dark Lord. "Best I bring along a bit of insurance. You will do as I say from now on, will you not? I would hate to have to show this girl why it is she should fear me."

And with that, Voldemort Apparated himself and Luna away.

#

Luna glared up at Voldemort as they pieced back together in his bedroom at Riddle mansion. She hadn't even been given a chance to speak before he had just whisked her away as if he could do whatever he liked with her.

"Just what do you think you're doing, stealing me from my father over some silly little newpaper article?" she asked in an uncharacteristically sullen tone. "And here I was trying to be polite. That's not very nice, you know."

"I'm not a very nice man," Voldemort informed her as he stepped over to his couch and stretched out on it, leaving the girl to find a chair. "You'll be staying here with me, so you may as well get used to the place."

"You mean I'll be staying here, in your room?" she gasped.

"The very same," he said. "I'll want to keep a close eye on you. And besides, my shoulders get tense an awful lot."

"Oh," she said with a deep blush as she sat in one of the chairs that surrounded his dinner table and set the still hot tea upon it.

"You don't have to sit way over there, you know," he said as he looked over at her. "Come sit in the armchair by the fire."

"I'm fine here, sir, thank you," she said circumspectly.

"Luna, come sit by the fire," he said more sternly. "I don't like craning my neck to look at you."

"Then don't look," she said matter-of-factly, but when his expectant gaze did not change, she sighed and did as he asked. When she was settled comfortably he plumped up his pillow and settled his head on it before he deigned to speak again.

"Do you know that you have the name of a moon goddess?" he teased her. "Only, your last name is Lovegood too, so that must mean you are a love goddess of the moon."

"Yeah, right," she answered distractedly.

Voldemort chuckled at the face she made.

"So, what I'm wondering is—do you love good?"

Luna's eyes widened as she turned to look at the fire. Her heart started racing, and she swallowed hard. She knew he was expecting an answer, so she managed to get out, "I really wouldn't know, my Lord. I haven't ever tried to find out."

"Ah," he answered with a smile as he closed his eyes.

Luna suspected he'd been trying to find out how willing she might be to discover just how good she was when next he sat up and took ahold of her wrist to draw her onto the couch with him. "What are you doing?" she protested, though she knew better than to struggle. It wouldn't be of any use to resist the most powerful wizard alive. He would do what he wanted to do anyway.

"Nothing," he lied as he snaked his arms around her and pulled her near, burying his face in her hair. He inhaled sharply, and whispered, "Mmm, so that's what a moon goddess smells like."

"I'm not a moon goddess," she said, but still a hint of a smile crept onto her lips.

"So then you're a love goddess?" he inquired with a grin. His lips traced a path down from her ear to the base of her throat before he claimed her lips instead.

"I'm not," she was trying to say as their lips met, so her mouth was open, giving him free access to seek out her tongue with his. Luna was so surprised she pulled back and stared at him.

"Come on, Luna, I want to see how good you can kiss," he teased her as he rubbed her back soothingly.

"Shouldn't a girl want to be kissed before she'd do a good job of it?" she inquired.

"You do want to be kissed," he told her. "I can tell. If you didn't, you'd be putting up a much bigger fight."

Luna speculated on this, and came to the conclusion that he was probably right. Not that she was willing to tell him so. "Do you think you're the only one who is curious?" she asked. "You're the most powerful wizard alive, after all. Why don't you think a girl might wonder how good of a kisser you are, too?"

Voldemort laughed at this line of logic. "You've got a point there. So let's satisfy each other's curiosity, then, hmm?"

Luna blushed furiously at the idea of actually kissing him on purpose, but when his lips came down on hers again she kissed him back this time. Their tongues twined together, dancing about in their mouths with heated abandon. When she realized just how much she liked what he was doing, her immediate response was to give as good as she got, leading to a much hotter kiss than either had expected.

Breathing heavily now, Voldemort said, "Definitely a love goddess."

"My Lord," came a voice as Severus Snape stepped into his room, and then immediately pulled up short. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know—"

"What is it, Severus?" he asked as he let Luna go and she sat back in the armchair and looked into the fire.

"Lucius has just arrived to help with the interrogations," Snape informed him. "But—it can wait, if you're busy."

"No, Severus, I can come now," he said. "Luna, you are to stay here. I'll be putting a spell on the door and windows, so you may as well not try them. You may wish to get some sleep. I don't know how long I'll be gone."

"Yes, my Lord," she said softly, still gazing into the fire.

Voldemort sighed as he shut the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Luna fell asleep in the chair. She was tired, but she had not wanted to get into Lord Voldemort's bed. Who knew what the man would do if he found her there. Voldemort woke her by leaning over her and breathing in her scent again. She opened her eyes, confused for a moment, until his face came into sharp focus.

"Oh, it's you," she said, her tone slightly grumpy.

"Yes, it's me," he said with a smirk. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I—I lost track of time," she hedged.

"You mean you lost your nerve," he teased her. "And here I thought you had nerves of steel."

"What do you mean?" she asked, though she knew full well what he was talking about.

"I thought you weren't afraid of me, Luna," he reminded her.

"I'm not," she lied. Voldemort chuckled and took both her hands in his, drawing her to her feet. She felt her face flush as he led her over to his bed and set her on it, and she couldn't seem to meet his gaze with her own.

When she didn't look for a whole minute, he tilted her face up to look at him where he still stood above her. His eyes looked like liquid desire as they gazed into hers, and Luna's insides melted in response. She took a sharp intake of breath when he moved forward, leaning into the mattress so that he stood right between her legs. He held her face with one hand so he could kiss her, while his other hand started to fiddle with the buttons on her sweater.

"Stop that, I'm cold," she protested.

Voldemort laughed and drew out his wand, aiming it toward the fire without ever taking his eyes off hers. The flames grew hotter, and he set his wand aside on the bedside table, and then used both hands on her buttons instead.

Luna watched his face speculatively, noticing that even though his nose was gone the rest of it was still quite handsome. His mouth in particular seemed to draw her notice, and with a start of surprise she realized it was because she wanted to taste it again. How interesting, she thought. I never would have expected to feel that way about such an evil man.

"Still frightened, lovely Luna?" he whispered as he slid the garment off her shoulders. It pooled around her elbows, and she didn't bother to move it as she stared up into his eyes. When she didn't answer, he leaned forward to plunder her mouth with his own, and she did nothing to try to stop him. Now his fingers slid down her torso to untuck her shirt, and crept underneath. Luna shuddered at the gentle touch, and Voldemort deepened his kisses in anticipation.

My eyes must look much like his by now, Luna thought. He was making her feel sensations she never even knew existed, and while she knew she should not want to be in the Dark Lord's bed, she could not find one bone in her body that was willing to object. When he pushed her down into the mattress and lay on top of her, she could manage only a soft moan in response.

"Shall I find a way to ease your tension as you tried to ease mine, my dear?" Voldemort inquired as he slid his hands up her body till they were playing with her hardened nipples under the shirt. With each flick of his long fingers she groaned, and he took all her sounds into his mouth as his tongue snaked out to twine with hers. She could feel the hardness of his manhood as he thrust against her through her pants.

Luna wanted to tear every vestige of clothing that was between them away and revel in his desire. But she did not want him to know that was how she felt. She desperately wished she could find the strength to push him away, to stop him. She didn't have it.

Voldemort unbuttoned her pants and began to slide them down Luna's hips, and her eyes widened with the fear she kept denying. He moved slightly away so she could see his face, and said, "I'm going to make you mine, Goddess of the Moon."

"Please," she whispered. "Please stop it, I'm not supposed to want you."

"Do you want me?" he asked softly, feathering kisses on her lips and throat, then down her body till he reached her uncovered breasts. His hot, wet tongue worked its magic there.

"Yes!" she finally breathed. He pulled her pants off of her, undid his own, and plunged into her wetness with a triumphant groan. They clung to each other until she was ready, then set a frenzied pace, wanting and taking, moving and moaning, never coming up for air until they were done. Luna had never felt so reckless in her entire life, and Voldemort had shown her the way.

"More!" she pleaded, and he gave it to her. It seemed like hours passed before they finally collapsed onto the bed and clung together, too tired to do anything but drift off to sleep.

Voldemort opened his eyes just before dawn and looked at her. It was a strange feeling to have a woman in his bed who wasn't trying to manipulate him or figure out how to get him to teach her his powers. Luna hadn't even considered either idea. She had simply wanted him for himself. He kind of liked that. He kind of liked that a lot.

#

"Good morning, my Lord," Luna said when she opened her eyes to the light streaming in through the window. Voldemort was across the room reading a book. His eyes glanced up and met hers, and she could see clearly that his hunger had not been fully sated. "What are you reading?" she asked him.

"Nothing of any importance," he answered as he set the book aside and came to sit on the bed beside her. "How are you feeling."

"Confused," she admitted as she looked away from his penetrating gaze.

"Why confused?" he asked curiously.

"This—well, it wasn't how I envisioned my first time to be, if you must know," she said softly.

"It seldom is," he told her with a smile as he tilted her face back up so she would look at him. "But if there's one thing you can be certain of, it's that deep down, you wanted it. And not just a little, love goddess, you wanted it bad."

"How would you know what I want?" she scoffed.

Voldemort chuckled. "Hmm, let's see. Here's one emotional barometer," he said, and gave her a kiss. "And here are a couple more," he added, kissing each of her breasts in turn. "And, the most obvious way of all to tell is—right here." His finger slid into her moist hole, and Luna gasped in surprise.

"That thing can tell you if I want you or not?" she asked as she tried not to bite her bottom lip as he moved his finger within her.

"Mmm, most assuredly," he said. "It says it could use some tension taming right now, as a matter of fact."

"Tension taming? Is that what you call it?"

"Works for me," he said with a grin. Since she hadn't bothered to sit up yet, he simply fell back into the bed with his face on her belly. He kissed a path down to her triangle of curls, and then deftly took a taste of her sweet nectar.

"My Lord!" she gasped, quite surprised by this. She had expected that Voldemort would be all about himself in a situation like this, so she was completely taken aback by his sudden desire to do something that would be pleasing to her as well. She wasn't complaining, though, since he seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

"You like that, my little goddess?" he asked her as he attacked with even more fervor. Luna sucked in her breath, but she could not hold back the moan of delight that he seemed to pull right out of her with his calculated ministrations. "Hmm, I guess you do!"

When Voldemort stood up to take off his clothes, Luna could not help but watch. His cock was hard as a rock, and he made no attempt to shield it from her view. She had never seen one up close before, and wished she could have a closer look, but he was far too interested in continuing their sport to give her the chance just then.

"How does it do that?" she asked curiously.

"Hmm?" he asked with a smirk. He knew what she was asking, so he said, "I suppose it just does it because I like what I see. It's just the way the thing works. Come taste him, love goddess. Then you can see him better."

Luna blushed a deep shade of crimson at the very thought, but he drew her into a sitting position on the bed as he continued to stand beside her. He gently guided her head to where his rock hard member waited, and she tentatively took a taste. With both of her hands she tried out different ways of touching him, and figured out which ways were the best by the favorable reactions she got.

"Put him all the way in," Voldemort suggested, and then groaned with delight when she did as he said. He resisted the temptation to grab her by the hair and show her the pace he wanted, but moved his hips instead. Luna moved with him, and after a while his hand crept up into her hair after all. It was soft like silk, and his fingers threaded through it over and over, enjoying the feel of it.

Luna stopped what she was doing after a time, and looked up at him expectantly. He knew what she wanted, and he had no trouble giving it to her. They clung together as he entered her, and half the day seemed to be gone before they even knew it. Snape knocked on the door this time, instead of entering unbidden, and Voldemort sighed.

"Duty calls, Luna," he said. "You can use my shower if you like, while I am gone. You could probably use one after all that." Luna nodded at him, and he chuckled. "I have a feeling I could use one, too."

"Yes, my Lord, you could."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Voldemort was bored as he listened to Lucius and Bellatrix torture information out of one of the prisoners. It seemed to him the pair had things well in hand, and he really did want the shower he'd mentioned to Luna earlier. The only thing about it was, he wanted her to be in it with him. He could tell this girl was distracting him, but at the moment he was not worried.

Harry Potter and his friends believed he was concerned by them destroying horcruxes, and that was exactly what the Dark Lord wanted them to think. Still, he hadn't tried to invade the boy's mind at all in the past week, so to kill time until they got done with the little banker, he did so with a flourish. However, he caught himself seeking out memories of Luna instead of his usual fare, and came back out again in disgust. He was letting her get to him too much.

Perhaps it was just the newness of the situation, he told himself. Once he had slaked his lust enough, he was certain to calm down. He seriously could not remember any time, ever, when he'd had such raging hormones, and this thought caused a slight smile to creep up onto his features.

"My Lord, are you even listening at all?" Lucius complained, bringing him back to the present. "I have heard about your little—distraction—but don't you even care about obtaining the funds we need to enact the next phase of your plan?"

"I am sorry Lucius, my mind did wander," he agreed, not even aware that he had just apologized to his servant instead of hitting him with a Crucio for his insolent question. "I have much to think about, and my days to think on it grow short."

"You are right on both accounts, my Lord," he said graciously. "Take this goblin to a cell. We will interrogate him again later."

Voldemort finally snapped out of it enough to realize his minion was taking charge, and his competitive streak surfaced. "I do not recall ordering you to do that, Lucius. You would do well to remember who is in charge here."

A satisfyingly frightened look appeared on the man's countenance, which quickly mollified Voldemort's ire. "But, I have grown weary, as you have surmised," he added. "Lucius, I have decided that I wish to take a little camping trip for the next few days. I will leave you to discover the funds, and by the time I get back I should be more able to focus. I'm sure you understand."

"She is very beautiful, my Lord," he said with a smile. "Perhaps you should plan on being gone a bit longer."

"Enough!" Voldemort chastised him. Then he stalked out of the room and went back to his bedroom as quickly as he could.

He could hear the water striking Luna's body in the shower, and he quickly disrobed so he could join her there. She was surprised for a moment when he first got in, but when his lips crushed against hers she quickly regained her composure just long enough to lose it completely as he turned her around and bent her forward, entering her from behind. He grabbed ahold of her wet hair and pulled her head back at the same time his other hand on her back pushed her forward, so that her back arched in just the right way to elicit a primal response within her. Voldemort growled as he thrust harder each time she moaned, and soon both their voices filled the room.

"Take me again, my Lord! Please!" she begged when he stopped. Her insatiable thirst seemed to fuel his own, and he never even had a chance to pull himself free of her sweet hole before he was thrusting some more. But then he moved them forward so they were leaning against the edge of the tub, and her hands splayed across the slick enamel surface. He reached around so that each of his hands had a breast, and twirled her nipples into rock hard peaks.

"You're mine, little goddess," he told her then. "For as long as I want you, you are mine."

"How long will you want me?" she asked desperately, meeting his thrusting with her own. "How long, my Lord?"

Voldemort came inside her and rested his forehead on her soaking wet back, breathing hard. That was a good question, he admitted, though he did not say so out loud. He had never wanted anyone so much, so would she be a shooting star, or would she truly be like the goddess after whom she was named, and never burn out? He wondered just how much work she would be interrupting if she were the latter of the two. He had to find a way to get around these rampant desires.

"I don't know," he finally admitted softly, holding her even tighter as his thoroughly exhausted member slid free of its own accord.

"I never knew it could be like this," Luna whispered speculatively.

"Forgive me, Luna, I forget that this is all new to you," he said as he grabbed up the wash cloth and tenderly washed every part of her with a playful smile just touching his lips. "It's been so long for me, it may as well be new for me, too. I have decided to take a little trip, and you will be accompanying me. I understand that you are a lover of the outdoors, so you should enjoy the outing. But, I must have your promise now, that you will not try to escape me while we are out. I would not wish to punish you."

"I will not try to run away, my Lord," she said softly. "I begin to wonder if I could if I wanted to, after what we have shared the last few days. I think I would die of longing for more."

Voldemort chuckled warmly. "I have not smiled so much in many years, you know. My face is aching from the unfamiliar sensation."

"I'm sorry your life has been so lacking in reasons to smile, my Lord," Luna told him sincerely. It hit him hard in the pit of his stomach when he heard the words, and he smiled even more brightly than he had been before. She giggled and rubbed his cheeks, hoping to ease some of the pain he claimed to have.

"Come, little goddess, we shall prepare for our trip, if I can keep my hands to myself long enough to complete the task," he said, and drew her with him out of the shower. The bed looked too inviting, so he diverted his gaze from it by going over to his closet to select the clothes he wanted to bring.

"Are we going to swim, my Lord?" Luna asked hopefully as she stepped forward to help. She noticed a decided lack of summer clothes in his wardrobe. "Huh, what do you intend to wear if you want to swim?"

"I haven't swam in years," Voldemort admitted. "Certainly not since I came back in this body. I rather miss my younger, stronger self. As a matter of fact, I've been looking for some way to get him back, and I'm pretty sure I may know of a way."

"To be young again?" Luna inquired curiously. "How could you do that?"

"As a matter of fact, your friend Harry Potter is doing it for me," he told her. "Once all my horcruxes are destroyed, and my soul is free of this vessel, I'll be able to come back, if all goes well."

"You mean the horcruxes being destroyed won't destroy you?" Luna asked in surprise. A thought crossed her mind that Harry would have loved to know this, but a selfish little voice in her head said that she didn't want to tell him. After all, if Harry succeeded, Lord Voldemort would get to become his former, much more handsome self. All that power and all that beauty together, she could just die if he still wanted her then!

"No, Luna, I have many other ways to return," he said. "I have always found the idea of immortality interesting, and it is my fondest wish to be immortal. But it seems to me, that if I were to live forever, it would be infinitely better to have someone to live forever with."

"Yes, I suppose that's true," said Luna softly.

Voldemort could not tell by this statement if she would be interested in applying for the job. He sighed and continued packing. Had he even been trying to offer? He was surprised to realize that he had. When had this mere slip of a girl become a part of that plan? he mused. Something told him this trip was not going to be any help at making him want Luna Lovegood any less. But, he thought with a satisfied smile, maybe he didn't want it to be.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Luna was surprised at what Voldemort did once they were ready to go. Sometime while they were packing he had summoned Snape and asked him to prepare his special potion, and the man had simply nodded and went away again. She wondered what that potion could possibly be, but of course she was too polite to ask him.

"We should have brought some of your clothes when I took you," he said as he looked her over once his own packing was done. "No matter, I'm sure we can buy what you need along the way. Besides, that way I can put you in outfits I like. The one you came in isn't your best color anyway."

"No, I suppose not," Luna agreed with a bemused grin, giving the matter some thought. "But then again, I wasn't quite dressed for the occasion, since I didn't know there would be an occasion to dress for."

Voldemort laughed delightedly.

"What's so funny?" she asked, unable to hide a grin of her own.

"A goddess of the moon who is so very down to earth," he admitted, chuckling some more.

"You sure like this moon goddess idea a lot," she mentioned, shaking her head.

"Yes, but I like the love goddess idea even more," he said as he caught her hands in his and drew her closer so he could kiss her thoroughly. He probably would have carried her right back over to the bed again if Snape had not shown up when he did.

"Here is your potion, my Lord," he said. "I made you enough for a week."

"Thank you, Severus," Voldemort said as he took the box full of vials from his servant and set them into his already packed suitcase. Then he used his wand to close it and shrink the whole thing down to a fine leather briefcase. He had left one of the vials out and now he drank it down. "I think I'll step into the other room for a bit, Luna. This won't be a pretty sight."

His face was already starting to bubble and roil as he reached the door and shut it behind him. Luna sighed and wandered over to sit on the bed. She had no idea what might emerge from the bathroom, but her curiosity was somewhat piqued. It was a normal occurrence for the inquisitive blonde to find herself in a curious state, but usually it was a detached sort of curiosity, more observation than interaction. But there was nothing detached about this anticipation, as she suspected he would come out looking like the younger self he so much wished to be, and her body was already reacting to the very thought.

Sure enough, the man that came out was Voldemort as his younger persona, Tom Riddle, but she did not know if he wanted her to call him that. What she did know was that she hoped he'd be feeling like snogging a bit more before he wanted to leave to wherever it was he was taking her.

"What do you think?" he asked her somewhat nervously when she had not said a word.

Luna smiled, "My Lord, you take my breath away," she answered truthfully.

"I can think of a better way to take that," he grinned, moving to kiss her. Their noses bumped into each other, and they laughed. "Where did that come from?" he teased as he turned his head to accommodate the part he'd gotten used to not having.

"It's a fine nose, my Lord," she told him as she kissed it. "I'm surprised you don't wear it more often."

"Well, this potion isn't so easy to make," he explained. "The ingredients are hard to come by, you must understand. But Severus and I have discovered a new potion which would transform me back to my former self for good. I just have to get rid of this body first, as it is imbued with snake venom that cannot be removed while I occupy it. I'll have to leave it somehow before it can be done."

"And the horcruxes are stopping you from getting out," Luna said with a sage nod.

"Yes," he affirmed. "Luna, I would like to show you how to do the magic as well. I want to know there will be someone left to do the task, if something should happen to prevent any of my followers from accomplishing it."

"You would trust me with so great a task?" she inquired as she looked down at her hands in a sudden fit of shyness.

"I believe I would," he said, somewhat surprised at himself. "I know that you have fought for the other side before this, but I sense that perhaps your loyalties have changed."

"Did you read my mind?" she wanted to know as she looked at him suspiciously. "I suppose if you did you even found out how long I've been fantasizing about you before we even met? You know, I have tried quite often to make myself feel guilty about it, but I never could seem to."

"I did," he admitted with no remorse. "I like to be certain of the people around me."

"Will you teach me to read minds, too?" she asked sweetly.

"Who's mind?" he asked with a grin.

"Yours, of course," she said in all seriousness. "It's not very fair if you know how I'm feeling and I don't know how you are."

"No, Luna," he said. "There are far too many things in my mind that you do not want to know of. But if you promise me to stay out of there, I'll willingly teach you to read other people's minds. I would willingly teach you a great many things."

"That would be nice, my Lord," she said with a small smile. "I have often wondered just how much more powerful I could be—like I am destined for something more than to be just a journalist for a small-time newspaper. I always found it such a dull destiny."

Voldemort smiled warmly at her, and then his face scrunched up with a thought he had. "Luna, you probably should not call me Lord while we're travelling. It might raise a few suspicions, to say the least."

"Perhaps I should call you Tom, then," she suggested.

"I was thinking the very same thing," he answered. "Perhaps, when we are alone, you might always call me that."

"Are you sure?" she inquired as she watched his handsome face. She could see no sign of displeasure at the idea there. "Very well then, Tom, when are we going to start this journey?"

"Right now will do," he answered. "Give me your hand, my goddess, and we shall be off."

#

They Apparated right into the heart of London, to a fancy shop Voldemort wanted to take her to. Luna felt a little thrill pass through her as they entered and she saw all the fancy clothes there. It was a passion of hers to design clothes, and her mind started whirling with ideas as they passed the mannequins and headed for the swimwear.

"We will both find something to swim in here, I think," Voldemort commented dryly, and held up a top against her. "Is this your size, my dear?"

"Yes, it is," she said when she looked at the article of clothing. "How did you know?"

"Visualization," he said with a suggestive grin.

"Oh, stop!" she said, blushing furiously as she turned away from him. He took her hand to get her to look at him again.

"Bet you can't find mine," he teased her.

Luna picked up a pair of shorts that looked about right, and he practically beamed when she was correct. She didn't have to ask him why—he liked the fact they were so well in tune with each other. And she rather liked it, too. They spent a little while picking out the swimwear they wanted, and then Voldemort's eyes alighted on the lingerie not too far from where they were.

"Oh, now, Tom, I thought you would be getting me some clothes," she admonished him.

"Yes, of course," he said, trying not to laugh. "But you'll need something to wear underneath, won't you?"

Luna's face was too comical as she gave serious thought to this statement. Her eyes went wide, and then closed halfway in speculation. He could just see her cataloguing just what items she was likely to need along those lines, and just how many would be a good number of said items to have.

"How about this set?" he teased as he showed her white undies and a bra with little red hearts all over them. Luna rolled her eyes. "What?" he asked innocently.

"White is for prudes," she informed him softly.

"Oops, these would never do for you," he said, making a great show of tossing them away as quickly as possible. Then he grabbed some black, lacy things and held them against her.

"Tom!" she gasped, looking around.

"I thought you weren't a prude," he reminded her. The two of them both laughed.

"You know, you don't seem much like an evil dark lord bent on world domination," she told him in his ear.

"It's your fault, little Luna," he answered as he bit her ear lightly. "You have completely distracted me from my true purpose."

"The feeling is mutual," she told him. "Up until now, my true purpose has been to simply observe everything around me and think how I could make a newsworthy article about it, but I haven't been doing a very good job at it this week."

"Considering the thing you've been observing most this week are parts of my anatomy, I'm certain I don't want you writing articles about what you saw anyway."

"Why not, my Lord?" she asked, trying not to smile. "They are certainly newsworthy."

"Really," he inquired. "What would you say about them?"

"That you have an ass worthy of the Devil himself, lips so sinful they drive a girl wild, eyes so hauntingly beautiful they hypnotize, and a cock so big a girl could enjoy it forever and never grow tired of it."

"I think it's time we headed for our destination," Voldemort said, his voice clearly indicative of his state of arousal.

"I think you're right," Luna agreed. They Apparated away with their so-called purchases without a second thought.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

"Luna, have you ever thought about immortality?" asked Tom as the two lay entwined together in the grass, gazing up at the full moon above them. A small tent had been pitched near a crystal clear lake, and a campfire burned brightly beside it. But they had opted to make love rather than gather firewood, so it was starting to die down a bit now.

Luna rolled onto her side to look at him, so he knew whatever she was going to say had been well thought out. "I can't see why anyone would want to live forever," she answered truthfully.

"Well, to be there, of course," he explained. "If you're dead, how are you going to know what happens next? How are you going to play any part in it?"

"Or control it," she added with a small smile as she leaned over to give him a kiss.

"Yes, and that, too," he admitted. "Besides, I hate the thought of my body decaying in some disgusting grave somewhere."

"Why don't you just get cremated, then?"

He sighed deeply. "I hate the very thought of not being alive," he told her dismally. "But Luna, if I asked you to, would you live with me forever?"

"No one lives forever, my Lord," she told him as she laid her head on his chest.

"Yes, that may be, but that's not what I asked," he complained, tilting her chin up so he could look into her eyes. "I just want to know if you would."

"Oh Tom, you always talk such nonsense," she said softly. "But if I could live forever just like this, right here in your arms, I believe I would do it."

"Now who is talking nonsense?" he scoffed. "You know full well that no one can lie around holding each other all day every day and get anything done. I need a right hand, not a leg weight."

Luna laughed at the choice of words. "Why, you don't want to sink to the bottom?"

"Not hardly," he grumbled.

"Oh, look, a shooting star," said Luna, pointing up.

"I don't need to look at a shooting star, my little goddess," he said as he kissed the smooth column of her throat. "I have everything I need right here at the moment."

Luna giggled at him, and he rolled over on top of her, pressing her down into the grass as he ravaged her mouth with his questing tongue. Luna felt alive with need in that moment, and she suddenly realized that she really would live forever with him if he truly wanted her to.

Tom's hands snaked inside her shirt, each finding a taut nipple to play with. Luna gasped into his mouth, and he thought he would die of pleasure. "Lovely Luna, Dark Lord's maid, nothing can come between us…"

"Are you singing to me?" she asked with a giggle. "You know, I don't think that's an original song, sir."

"You don't know who the Beatles are?" he asked incredulously.

"Aren't they a Muggle band, my Lord?" she reminded him.

"Well, yes, but what has that got to do with it?" he said. "If I want to tell you how lovely you are, what difference does it make who wrote the lyrics?"

Luna shook her head. "You confuse me sometimes, my Lord," she told him. "You go on and on about blood-status and purity and all that, but then you go about in Muggle clothes stores and sing Muggle songs. It's weird, really."

"Well, I'm not going to marry a clothes store," he pointed out. "I won't be reproducing with a lyric anytime soon, either."

"Reproducing?" she repeated with surprise. "I didn't think you could—I mean, well, that's what the rumors say."

Tom laughed wickedly. "I have it on good authority that I'm still in working order, Luna. In fact, you could very well be carrying a little Voldie in that sweet belly even now."

"You're just teasing me," she said with a half-hearted laugh, but her face fell when he continued to stare at her with unwavering certainty in his eyes. "Oh, I don't know if I'm ready for reproducing just yet, my Lord. I haven't even graduated."

"But you passed your O.W.L.s, did you not?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, yes, I did quite well, actually," she told him proudly. "I was in the running for the Head Girl position if I had gone back this year."

"It is a pity you won't get to return to school when it begins next week, Luna," he said stoically. "But if you like, I can teach you everything you would have learned at school, and more. I admit, some of the things I know are a bit darker than anything you would learn at Hogwarts, but really, that is all for the better."

"For the better?" she inquired. "I can't think why it would matter."

Voldemort grinned wryly. "Because I want a bad-ass wench beside me, and since you're the one I want beside me, that means you're the one we'll have to turn into a bad-ass."

"That makes sense, my Lord," she answered with a soft smile just touching her lips. "But my Lord, have you seriously thought it through? About me, I mean. Sure, I am pure-blood, and yes, I can be taught, but you know that as far as the Order is concerned, I am still a member in good standing. How can you put your faith in me?"

"I have seen it in your eyes, my dear," said Tom cryptically. "I know that you will not betray me."

"Because you used Legilimens on me," she said. It was not a question, but rather an observation.

"Would you not do the same, if you were me, my little goddess?" he asked as he began to feather kisses along her neck and shoulders. He felt the sharp intake of her breath when he pressed his hardened length against her thigh, letting her know just how much he needed her.

"I would, except that you said I couldn't," she answered with a slightly pouty tone to her voice.

Tom laughed, and said, "You don't want to go in my mind, my dear. Sometimes I even scare myself with some of the thoughts I have in there. I would not want to give you a disgust of me."

"I couldn't get one if I tried," she told him. "I'm too addicted to you for that."

"Addicted to me?" he repeated, as if it was the strangest idea he'd ever heard. "But Luna, I'm the noseless wonder, how could anyone want me so much, looking like that?"

"I want you, nose or not," she whispered to the top of his head. "Don't you know that the nose is not the most important protrusion that a woman wants her man to have?"

"You want this thing, then?" he asked wickedly as he thrust against her through her jeans.

"Yes!" she growled, though it was almost a sob of pure pleasure.

"Take off your clothes, love goddess," he told her in a shaky voice as he sat up and began to unbutton his shirt. She pulled her sweater over her head and tossed it aside, but Tom could not wait for her to finish before he was touching her again. He slid his hands down her body and to her fly, which he undid so quickly it almost seemed like he'd used magic—Luna suspected that might just be the case.

"My Lord," she breathed against his shoulder as he slid her pants off her hips and proceeded to play with the flesh he had just exposed, paying particular attention to the spot that had grown suddenly moist. Luna kicked her pants off the rest of the way as he nibbled on her lower lip, and realized that he had magically removed her bra and panties when they suddenly weren't there anymore.

He took her hair into one of his hands as though making a ponytail, and then slid the silky mass between his fingers until he hit a snag. "Mmm, I think we forgot to get you a brush earlier, my dear."

"Mm-hm," she answered as she bit his collarbone. That was about the extent of the conversation as the two practically fell back to the ground and proceeded to explore each other quite thoroughly. By the time Tom mounted her, Luna was so worked up that this sent her over the edge into the most earth-shattering orgasm she'd ever felt. This did not stop him from his purpose, and so her spasms of sheer delight were prolonged and repeated for the rest of the night.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

It was about the third day of their camping adventure when the two were awakened by the unmistakable sound of someone Apparating into their vicinity. Luna poked her head out of the tent first, and pulled it back in with a stunned look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Tom asked her. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"It's Harry Potter and Hermione Granger," she whispered. "They just popped up in the clearing and started to make camp. What would they be doing here?"

"I don't know," he answered grimly. "Hopefully, they are out hunting my horcruxes like they should be, and they just happened to look for a campsite here as well. This little haven in the woods is pretty popular. Once you've camped here, you always feel the need to do so again. One of them must have been to this spot before. Probably the Granger girl, I imagine, since I don't believe Harry's childhood would have consisted of camping. As I understand it, those Dursley people were a right wanky lot. If it had been me, I would have run away from them well before I turned eleven."

"What if they find us?"

"Not to worry, little Moon Goddess, this little haven is protected by a powerful spell," he reassured her. "No one will find us here. Not even the great Harry Potter."

"You're not going to try to kill him right now, are you?" Luna asked worriedly. "It would ruin the whole trip if you did. I don't think one should bring their work with them on a holiday, do you?"

"Of course not, Luna," Tom chided her. "I would not wish to kill your friend while you were watching, holiday or not. Besides, he hasn't finished destroying all of the horcruxes yet. Although I must admit, I am curious what they are doing. Shall we go and watch them?"

"Yes, let's," she agreed.

Tom took Luna's hand and led her out of the tent.

Hermione had just scouted out the area and was using her wand to pitch the tent, while Harry busied himself with setting up wards and starting a fire. Tom and Luna looked dubiously at each other, shrugged, and went back into their own tent.

"They have no idea that we're here," Luna whispered. "That is so odd. What sort of charm did you use on us, anyway?"

"You don't need to whisper, Luna, they won't hear us," Tom told her, making her blush.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," she agreed. "But what an odd thing to have happen, them setting up camp right beside us, of all places I can hardly believe it was a mere coincidence."

"Yes, it is quite odd," he agreed with a speculative gleam in his eyes.

"What are you thinking?" she asked him in a teasing yet suspicious voice.

"Oh, nothing, really. I was just thinking about something I used to do as a child, when they sent all of the orphans out to camp over the summer," he said, and then chuckled warmly. "I went every year from the age of five until I turned fifteen. It was a most amusing time."

"What did you do that was so funny?" Luna wanted to know.

"Well, first you need to know about Muggle camping," he said with a grin. "We had several tents pitched, usually set a bit apart from each other for the sake of comfort, and we divided the camp into sections as well, and each of the sections became rivals with the others. So, the boys from one group of rivals would play pranks on the boys in the other, sort of like a game. You know, just silly things, like dumping honey on their toes and such, which by the way would make the local bears go wild."

"Isn't that a little bit dangerous?" Luna asked. "Setting the bears off, I mean. Someone might get hurt if a wild bear came in looking for the honey."

"Well, yes, it didn't end well when one of them came into the camp," he agreed. "But we did other things that weren't quite as bad, though, like wrapping the entrance to their tent with twine so they had to cut their way out. The worst thing that could happen then would be that someone might get tangled up, but I'm sure if that happened to a wizard he could just magic the mess off himself."

"You're thinking of pranking Harry Potter right now, aren't you?" Luna accused him, trying not to laugh.

"Of course I am," he said. "Can you think of a bigger rival of mine than him?"

"No, I don't suppose I can," she conceded. "But Tom, just because you made yourself young again doesn't mean you have to act like it, too."

"Why not?" he asked. "I certainly didn't get to act like it much when I was."

"I think I'm having a very bad influence on you, my Lord," Luna informed him. "You're supposed to be plotting darker things than this, Mr. Take-Over-the-Ministry."

Tom chuckled and said, "Well, I'm sure that will be fun too, but not today. Today we're going to prank Harry Potter."

Luna couldn't stop herself from giggling at the very idea. The most infamous wizard alive was about to prank the Boy-Who-Lived. She couldn't help herself for thinking what a great headline that would make in the Quibbler, and she would be the perfect author also, since she was about to witness it firsthand. Wouldn't that awful Rita Skeeter love to be her right about now?

"What are you going to do, my Lord?" she asked him.

"We could turn a few strands of your hair into twine," he said as he rubbed his chin in thought. "Oh, and maybe rig up a bucket full of water so it'll dump on whoever tries to come out first."

"Yes, I suppose that would work," Luna answered with a soft snicker that she hoped he did not hear. She didn't want him to think she approved of his antics, even though she was starting to get into the spirit of the thing now. To distract him away from her unwanted laughter, she plucked three very long strands of hair from her head and gave them to Tom.

As he transfigured them, Luna turned to watch her friends interacting and wondered what had happened to Ron Weasley. She had understood the plan to include him on the horcrux hunt, but only these two were here. Perhaps they had fought and split up or something. But she supposed it didn't really matter, just as long as they completed their mission.

Luna felt a little twinge of guilt over the fact she was in Tom's tent instead of Harry's. After all, she was supposed to be his enemy, and here she was shagging the dark wizard every chance she got. What would her dear mother say if she knew? What would her father say?

She had a sudden desire to read the latest Quibbler, to see if her father had wisely left out all matters pertaining to Voldemort or his Death Eaters. If the man did write anything, and whatever it was angered the Dark Lord, what would he do to her then? The thought was too depressing even to think about, and Luna seldom allowed herself to dwell on depressing things.

Tom had finished transfiguring her hair into twine, and had begun to look for something he could turn into a bucket. He ran a list of the items they'd picked up on the way here through his head, and finally realized that he hadn't brought anything along that would really work. Off came the lid of the thermos and soon he had his bucket.

"Luna, will you go fill this bucket with some water for me, please?"

"Certainly, my Lord," she agreed, and brought the bucket over to the river to do just that. She returned presently, only to find Tom meticulously spooling the twine he had just made. "Why are you doing that?"

"Because I'm such a neat freak," he admitted, trying to hold back the chuckle he finally let out.

"Yeah, ok," Luna agreed. "Have fun with that."

"Oh, I will," he said gleefully. "I intend to have lots of fun today. Especially since you're going to help."

"Goody," she said, her face unreadable but a smile painted on anyway. "I can't wait."


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

The stars shone brightly later that night, and Luna and Tom were lying outside naked and giggling as they looked up at them. They were holding hands, and periodically Tom would give hers a little squeeze as he remembered with great clarity the look on Harry Potter's face as he stood wrapped in twine with a bucket of water upside-down on top of his head.

"Hermione, is this your idea of a joke?" he called back into the tent, and then the Granger girl had rushed out and gotten tangled up as well. The two of them spent the greater part of the next hour extracting themselves from their bonds and trying to figure out why they were there in the first place.

"You don't think Ron did it, do you , Harry?" Hermione had asked, prompting Tom's first fit of giggles. Luna had started to giggle because it was so funny to see the Dark Lord giggling, and they'd been laughing off and on ever since. All in all, it had been a most enjoyable day.

"Oh, Luna, I'm so glad I stole you from your father," said Tom then. "If I'd known it would turn out like this, I would have stolen you ages ago."

"I'm not quite sure how to answer that, my Lord," she said softly. "I'm not sure I'm as good for you as you think I am."

"Why would you say that?" he wanted to know.

"Because you haven't gotten any work done since I came," she reminded him.

"It's still getting done," he answered as he rolled over to look at her. "You don't believe I have everything set up so that I'm the one who does everything, do you? What ruler would be so stupid as to do that? A true leader needs to know how to delegate responsibility. Remember that."

Luna sighed and rolled toward him as well. "What are you going to do with me, Tom?" she wanted to know. "Do you think we're going to be able to spend every day like this?"

"Of course not, my dear," he said. "I know that this is just a little vacation, and reality must soon intrude on us again. I just don't want to face that yet. I want to make a few memories while we still can."

"What will you remember the most about this?" she inquired with a slight smile.

"How beautiful you look in the moonlight," he said, and then he moved over her to kiss her soundly. Luna moaned into his mouth as his hands each found a nipple and his nimble fingers began their love play once again.

Tom was soon deep inside her, and Luna was wild in her need for him. She pulled him closer so she could devour his neck, and he could tell her bites would leave a mark. That ought to be interesting, he thought wryly. The most powerful, dark wizard alive with a really big hickey and a raging hard-on that wouldn't go away. That would be quite a sight, wouldn't it?

He supposed Luna had a valid point. Their idyllic existence would have to end soon, and he would have to carry on with his plans. But since the horcruxes were not yet destroyed, he had a while yet to wait. He could enjoy this at least another day, he was sure.

He enjoyed every single thrust into her more than the last, and by the time he was finished he found himself wondering if another week would be too long away. Sighing deeply, he knew what he needed to do. He needed to just take her back home and get on with it, integrate her into his life because he obviously wasn't going to give her up any time soon.

"What are you thinking about, my Lord?" Luna inquired when he rolled away from her and covered his face momentarily with his hands.

"I was just wondering how the hell my voice of reason is suddenly a girl not even half my age who is supposedly on the opposite side in this accursed war," he admitted as he opened up two of his fingers so one eye could look out at her.

"I was wondering the same thing myself," she chuckled. "The last thing most people view me as is the voice of reason. Did you know my nickname is actually Loony?"

"I thought it was Moon Goddess," he teased her, pulling her into his arms so she was lying on top of him.

"Only you call me that, as well you know," she chastised him. "And if you're going to make me stay with you any longer, I need something to do besides lay about wondering how soon I'll find out you impregnated me. I have an idea what I could do."

"What's that?" he inquired curiously.

"I'm going to learn how to make your potion for you so you don't have to rely completely on Snape to do it," she said. "He's going to have to return to Hogwarts soon."

"Hmm, interesting idea," Tom agreed. "But I want him to teach you how to make the one I will need to come back after my death. It does no good for only one person to know how to do that—though I suppose Lucius has a good idea as well. Perhaps I'll have him teach you that, and some spells as well. There's no sense in you just lying around all day, as you said."

Luna chuckled.

"What's so funny?" he asked, trying not to laugh with her.

"Well, I was just imagining trying to learn spells with an enormous belly in the way," she admitted wryly. "I was supposed to have that issue this week, and so far it has not interrupted us."

"What did I tell you, Luna? As potent as ever."

"We'll see, my Lord," she teased him, and he kissed the top of her head and smiled.

"We'll see about choosing which room to use for a nursery," he told her with a chuckle. "Even if you get your moon this month, that's no guarantee how many you'd get before you didn't."

"You really think this is funny, don't you?" Luna grumbled.

"I think it's absolutely wonderful," he corrected her. "I want a girl just as beautiful as you."

"Oh, wow, I had a visual of what you'd do when she wanted to go out on her first date," Luna said, sitting up in a fit of giggles.

"Um, maybe you'd better have a boy," he amended when she said that. "They're easier."

"Nope, I'll have a girl just to spite you," she said. "I'm not going to make anything that easy on you."

"I beg to differ," he said, drawing her into his arms. "You're going to make my life so much easier it's disgusting."

"Oh my, we can't have that," she teased. "Perhaps I should deprive you a bit, what do you think?"

"I think you really are loony if you think I'd agree to that."

Luna put both hands over her mouth trying to suppress the loud guffaw that rushed out of her mouth, and looked sheepishly up at him. Tom laughed so hard his sides began to ache, and then he laid her down and crawled on top of her.

"What are you doing, Tom?" she giggled.

"It's been ten whole minutes, I'm feeling deprived."

"Mmm, you know what? So am I."


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

"Yes, Miss Lovegood, for the tenth time today, you use the Devil's snare first," Lucius Malfoy grumbled as he went over the steps to make Voldemort's potion again. "You're going to have to remember this for yourself, you know. I won't always be here to help you."

"I know," she sighed. "But potions was never my best class. I shall simply have to write it down."

"You can't write this down, you daft girl!" he growled as he turned to look at her again. "Do you realize how many people would kill to get their hands on the recipe to bring someone back to life? If anyone caught wind of the existence of such a document, this place would be crawling with people trying to get at it before you could even say 'Merlin's beard'!"

"Then we should not tell them," Luna pointed out reasonably. "That would certainly make them stop coming."

"Why do I bother?" Lucius commented in a long-suffering tone.

"How goes the potion class?" said Snape from the doorway.

"Severus!" said Lucius with a smile as he turned to his friend. "You're the teacher, please do come and teach. Miss Lovegood is thinking of taking notes, of all things."

Snape scoffed at such a notion as he stepped inside, cloak billowing out behind him in a most impressive display. He grabbed Luna's quill and ink from her hands, and made them disappear. "Now, Miss Lovegood, you must refrain from writing any of what you are learning here down, or we shall be forced to stop teaching it."

"The Dark Lord has ordered you to teach me," Luna pointed out. "I wouldn't want to be you when he found out you'd disobeyed."

"I would not wish to be you should the recipe for his resurrection potion fall into the wrong hands, either," Snape countered.

"Oh, all right," she grumbled.

"Now, from the beginning, tell me everything that has gone into this cauldron so far, and then what you must do next," said Snape as Luna turned back to her brewing potion. With a sigh, she recited everything she had done so far, and then what she was about to do next, in a droning voice. "Miss Lovegood, is it not your wish to restore Lord Voldemort to his former glory? I was given to understand you were quite enthusiastic at the prospect."

"Oh, I am," she explained. "I'm just not overly excited at the prospect of constantly brewing these youth potions. I've been so busy making them that I haven't even gotten to enjoy their benefits in two days."

"The Master has sent word that he'll be back tonight," Snape told her with a sneer. "That should perk you up nicely."

Luna's heart skipped a beat. "Tonight, really?" she asked hopefully. "Then Harry must have been to Godric's Hollow?"

"I do not know if he's been there or not," Snape corrected her. "I only know that the Dark Lord has chosen to transform his snake into a human so that he could return to the mansion for the celebration of Yule. As you must know, it is a very important holiday for practitioners of the Dark Arts, and we must honor the faeries of the Winter Court properly if we wish for them to continue to offer their patronage."

"The Winter Court?" Luna scoffed. "I thought that was all just a legend."

"No, my dear, though they do not choose to show themselves to us mere mortals, Maeve and her minions are still very much a reality to our Lord," he said. "If not for their help, Lord Voldemort would have been dead more than once already."

"I thought he was dead at one point," Luna mentioned.

"Just so," Snape answered. "But yet now he lives, thanks to them. And I believe, considering the fact that you are with child by him and he wishes to see his child, that he would like to remain breathing a bit longer."

Luna looked down at her belly, which was only just beginning to show signs of the baby in question. She put a hand on the swell and smiled to herself, imagining what it would be like to be a mother. This child would be given all the love that Voldemort had been denied, and hopefully that would be the key to the Dark Lord's heart as well. Though she knew he would always be dark and brooding for the most part, she did hope to make the time they would share one of his best memories if he did manage to live on beyond it.

As if Snape's words had called him forth, suddenly Lord Voldemort appeared before them. He was in his snakelike form again, and Luna stepped up to touch his face. "Did you run out of potion?" she asked worriedly.

"No, my dear, I simply wanted to try your brew when I returned," he reassured her with a smile as he leaned down to kiss her lips. Luna's hand went up around his neck, pulling him closer as she whole-heartedly kissed him back.

"You're not afraid I may have botched it?" she inquired.

"I hadn't thought of that," he said, brow furrowed. "Severus, I must make certain if this potion has been properly constructed. You must drink some first, and find out for us."

"As you wish, my Lord," he answered with a scowl that clearly showed how distasteful the task sounded to him. He brought some of the brew to his lips and blew on it nervously, then smiled painfully before taking a sip. Immediately his face began to bubble up, and then his body began to shrink slightly. A Snape who looked about fourteen stood there with the same scowl as before. "How delightful," he sneered in a slightly higher voice. "It's just as well that school is out for the week, my Lord, or I'd have some heavy explaining to do. If you need me, my Lord, I shall be in my home at Spinner's End licking my wounds."

"Don't worry, Severus, I won't be needing you for at least a day or so," Voldemort informed him as he took the spoon out of his hand and used it to take a sip of his own. Younger and in possession of his nose again, Voldemort gave Luna a much better kiss than the one he'd administered before. "Now, my dear, why don't we go make certain the bed has been properly made?"

"Of course it has, silly," Luna chided him. "No one would dare leave the chore untended to."

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, he replied, "Well, let us check anyway—just in case."

Luna caught on. With a giggle, she said, "Oh, yes, my Lord, I think that's a wonderful idea. Best I've heard all day."


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

Fall ended and then winter was over as well. Luna's belly was huge as far as she was concerned, but Tom never failed to tell her how beautiful she looked with his child inside her. It always made her blush.

The Dark Lord told Luna more about his plan to allow Harry Potter to kill him. As crazy as the idea sounded, she knew that he wanted to be transformed completely back to his younger form, and the conjuration spell would only work if he was not in a body.

Snape and Lucius worked very hard to teach her the spell to bring him back, and by the end of spring she knew it confidently. When the time came, at least one of them would be left to bring him back.

Luna was working on another batch of Tom's potion when her water suddenly broke. She panicked, knowing she was not meant to deliver for another month.

"Lucius!" she gasped, casting him a pitiful look.

"Did you spill the potion again, my dear?" he inquired when he saw the wetness on her dress and on the floor.

"No..." she answered as she broke into tears and doubled over, vomiting into the mess that was already there. "Get Tom, the baby is coming."

"Now?" he asked, surprised. "Sit down, Luna. I'll tell the Dark Lord and summon Severus immediately. He'll know what to do."

Luna doubled over again. Casting her an uncertain glance, Lucius hurried out muttering, "Me a Death Eater, and I get freaked out over a baby coming."

In spite of the pain, Luna couldn't help but laugh. Lucius looked as though he'd seen a ghost, and he was so flustered he didn't remember he could have Apparated to the other side of the house much faster than walking there.

He must have come to his senses soon after, however, because he and Tom popped in not long afterwards. Tom rushed over and took Luna into his arms.

"Our baby will be here soon," he said happily, kissing the top of her head.

"But he's so early," Luna said worriedly.

"That there is a Riddle baby," Tom said with pride. "Nothing will stand in his way."

Luna chuckled, and added, "Nothing but his parents, that is. I wonder how the little tyke will feel about the pair of us raising him."

"He'll feel proud, of course," Tom informed her.

"My Lord?" said Severus as he rushed in. "I came as soon as I could. Luna, dear, you should be lying down if your water broke, unless of course you were trying to push baby out before your help arrived."

"I don't feel like laying down," said Luna grumpily. "That's practically all I've been doing all month."

"No, more than likely you were going against my express orders, and that is precisely what has landed you in this fix," Severus barked at her. "Lucius, I'm going to need your wife to come and help me, if you will?"

"Of course," Lucius agreed, Apparating away.

"You don't mind if I check her cervix, do you, my Lord?" he asked. "I promise I have no ulterior motives in doing so."

"Do what you must, Sev," he stopped pacing long enough to answer. "Just make sure that my little family is all in one piece when you're done."

"I'm sure the baby will be fine," Severus reassured him.

"Yes, of course," Tom said. "But I want you to make sure Luna is fine as well."

Severus hid a smirk. "As you wish, my Lord. And while I'm thinking of it, I need to remind the two of you that it is unwise to have intercourse for at least two weeks after the birth."

"Two weeks!" the pair exclaimed in unison.

"Indeed," said Severus. "If you are capable of such restraint."

"I have never been accused of lacking restraint, Severus," the Dark Lord answered, throwing back his shoulders as he glared at the man.

"At least not to your face," he answered mildly.

Luna saw Tom's wand hand begin to twitch. She reached up and took it with her own, and Tom turned to look at her. "My dear, please do not kill Severus until after the baby is born. We kind of need him alive at the moment."

Tom scowl turned into a bemused smirk, and then he visualized the scene Narcissa Malfoy would see as she entered the room if he actually did kill Severus. Holding a hand over his mouth, he tried not to laugh to no avail. For in his mind's eye he saw the dead Severus's corpse falling right on top of Luna, and him standing behind the man trying to pull him off of her. He could only imagine how that would look!

"What's so funny?" Luna wanted to know.

"Um, I'll have to tell you later, dear," he said with a wry smile.

Narcissa Malfoy arrived on a completely normal scene rather than that other one, and yet she was so put off by the fact Lord Voldemort was laughing she was hard pressed to keep her composure. With the look of a hen with ruffled feathers, she addressed Severus first.

"How is she doing?" she asked.

"She's almost ready to push," said Severus. "You got here just in time."

Not too much later, a new baby Riddle had come into the world, and Narcissa wrapped a warm blanket around the child and placed him in his father's arms. A tear streaked down Tom's face. His potion chose a most importune time to begin to wear off, making his skin bubble and roil frantically. He had to hand the baby to someone else and step into the bathroom so as not to upset mother or son.

He must have stashed more potion in the bathroom somewhere, for when he returned he was his younger-looking self again.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

"But I'm going to miss you so much," Luna protested as she headed out of the bedroom door and out into the hall. "And make sure that little Tom is safely kept before you leave for the battle, Tom. I don't want to be worried about him while I'm gone."

"Luna, don't be such a hen," Tom grumbled. He was currently back in his older, snake version of himself, and she reached up so smooth a finger over the flesh where his nose should be. He smirked and shook his head. "Stop it, you know I hate that."

"But I love it, and I love you," she told him.

"Okay, you're making me feel guilty here, Luna, considering you're telling me you love me when I'm about to throw you into a dungeon for who knows how long until Harry Potter shows up," he said. "I don't know how I'm going to live without you."

"The same as you've always done, I suppose," she commented sensibly. "You're going to cause a big stir and people are going to get frightened, and in the end you'll be dead—so I guess that means that you won't live without me, if you think about it."

"Always count on you to see things clearly," he chuckled. "Now go get in the dungeon like a good little captive, and maybe later I'll come in there and torture you."

"Mm, that sounds promising," she chuckled.

"You have to at least pretend not to like it, or you 're not going to convince anybody at all," he said as he bent to kiss her. "But you know, I think we could probably hold off on going down there for a couple more minutes—"

"Stop right there, my love," she said sternly. "You know that there are only two horcruxes left, and Harry is right this moment in the bank retrieving the cup. We can't afford to waste any more time. Send Scabior and the others out into the woods. Harry is sure to go back into them once the deed is done."

"I know you're right," he said. "I just don't want to let go."

"Don't worry, my Lord," she said with a light air, "Everything is falling into place. I'll see you again soon."

Having said this, Luna Apparated away, leaving him standing there in the hall. He knew without bothering to check that she had gone to the dungeon, and one of his Death Eaters would put her inside with the others. And now it was time for him to get into the mode of self-destruction. Harry Potter must believe him to be desperate—and he intended to make sure of it.

#

"Hello, Harry Potter," said Luna from her place by the wall as her friends were shoved inside the dungeon cell. She was sitting calmly near the goblin banker and old Ollivander, having waited less than a day just as she'd predicted.

It wasn't long before they could hear screaming from upstairs as Bellatrix tortured Hermione Granger. All of them winced, and then Harry managed to call upon Dobby to get them out. Luna came along with them as they rescued Hermione and Apparated to Shell Cottage, where Harry discovered that Dobby had been killed. From there, she returned to Hogwarts.

Snape saw her walking through the hallway, and stopped to speak to her. "Miss Lovegood? I assume everything is all right?"

"Yes, Professor, everything is fine," she answered, but said nothing more.

"Well then, I suppose you had best return to your dorm," he said with a nod, and walked away again.

Luna went quickly to Gryffindor dorm instead and said the password she remembered from before, hoping they hadn't changed it since she'd last been inside. The fat lady was feeling talkative, and she didn't seem to want to simply open the way.

"So, I heard you were being held prisoner by the Dark Lord," she said. "How bad was it? Did he torture you incessantly? Did he make you tell him all your secrets?"

"He did nothing of the sort," she snapped.

"Well, you don't have to bite my head off," she complained. "Go on inside, then."

Neville was just returning from a tunnel with Ron, Harry and Hermione coming along for the ride. "We have company," he announced.

"Harry Potter!" everyone shouted excitedly.

They all gathered to discuss what should be done. Harry wasn't at all helpful in his description of the horcrux he was looking for.

"Hasn't anyone heard of the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw?" Luna asked, incredulous that she had to practically hand the answer to them on a silver platter.

"But Luna, it's lost. No one alive has seen it," Cho reminded her.

"Snape just told everyone to come to the Great Hall," someone announced. "I think he knows something about Harry."

Luna came along as everyone filed out. They all went into the Great Hall together as Snape was lecturing the students.

"Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Potter should come forward immediately, and anyone who knows of Mr. Potter's movements and does not step forward shall be considered as equally guilty."

Harry stepped forward and as he spoke, someone started to scream. An eerie, disembodied voice rang through the hall. "Give me Harry Potter," said Voldemort. "You have one hour."

Luna knew her Lord well enough that she did not believe the hour would be given. He was not a very patient man, and he was too close to getting what he desired to stand back now. When Harry began to run, she followed him.

"Harry, wait!" she shouted, but he didn't. "Harry Potter, you listen to me right now! There's someone you need to talk to."

"But you heard Cho," he pointed out. "No one alive has seen the diadem."

"No one alive," Luna said. "But what about someone who isn't?"

"The Gray Lady! Luna, you're brilliant," said Harry, starting to head in a new direction.

"Harry, she won't trust you," she said. "You must tell her that I sent you."

"I will," he agreed.

#

The halls of Hogwarts echoed with noise as the Death Eaters continued to battle the witches and wizards within. Luna knew the precise moment when both of the horcruxes were destroyed. She knew even before Voldemort called back his troops that he would do so. Now, only the secret horcruxes remained.

Luna busied herself with helping to heal wounded people as she waited for Harry Potter to go out to kill her Lord. She had been told by Snape himself that Harry's body contained a horcrux, and so she was a bit confused as to how he was supposed to kill the Dark Lord if he was himself one of his pieces. It all seemed so weird, when one took the time to think on it, and so she tried not to.

The next time she saw Harry Potter, Voldemort and the Death Eaters were walking back with his corpse to Hogwarts. Her heart constricted with dread. If Harry had been killed, then who was going to kill Voldemort so she could bring him back. She'd managed not to get herself killed, but now it seemed it had all been for nothing.

She wanted to race over to him and embrace him, tell him that she would brew as many potions as he needed, and it would all be okay, but she knew he would not welcome such an action since he wanted to be killed. Sighing, she followed the others as they went to meet their foe, and hoped for the best.

Neville Longbottom stepped forward to speak, and then suddenly Harry came back to life. A pitched battle ensued, but in the end Neville killed Nagini and Harry Potter killed Voldemort. Luna was almost certain that Voldemort had chosen to go inside the wand itself in order to preserve himself. Given the series of events, there was no other possibility. But, how would she get the wand away from Harry?

She followed the Golden Trio discreetly out to the fallen bridge, making sure not to be seen. She watched with horror as Harry Potter snapped the Elder Wand in two and through it down into the ravine. She went quickly and quietly back to the castle, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes. How would she bring him back if the wand—the vessel in which he must have stored himself—had been broken?

All day she agonized over what to do. She knew that it must be dark outside when she searched for the pieces of the wand—no one must see her. When darkness surrounded the castle, Luna was able to Apparate down to the ravine, for the anti-Apparation field was now gone. Scrabbling through the mud and grime, she looked diligently until she'd found both pieces.

"I thought I'd find you here," said a voice from behind her.

"Harry Potter?" she gasped as she stuffed the wand pieces into her cloak.

"No, Luna," he said. "Harry is asleep."

"Tom?" she asked uncertainly.

"It's me," he said, still standing back. Luna launched herself into his arms.

"What are you doing in there?" she wanted to know.

"Well, you were right about me going into the wand, my dear," he answered. "Of course that is where I went. But when I realized he was going to break the wand, my need for self-preservation kicked in. I jumped inside here to keep from dying altogether."

"But how are we going to get you out?" she asked worriedly. "I don't want you to stay in Harry."

Tom chuckled. "Doesn't do it for you, eh? Well, there's only one way. You'll have to kill Harry Potter to get me out."

"But—"

"Don't worry, Luna, he won't really die," Tom said before she could protest. "He's still the master over death, even if the wand is broken. He'll just wake up with a really bad headache. I'll just go inside something else until we get home."

"Like what?" Luna wanted to know.

"Maybe you've got some trinket you don't need?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah, I do," she said with a wicked chuckle. "I have a recent copy of the Quibbler right here."

He cast her a dubious look. "Well, at least the old man has stopped writing bad things about me in there," he chuckled. "Let's get to it, shall we? You know how impatient I can be."

Luna raised her wand and aimed it, shouting, "Avada Kedavra!"

Harry Potter's body crumpled to the ground, and Luna Apparated away, her Quibbler held closely to her heart. Tonight, she and Tom Riddle would watch it burning in the fire. Baby Tom would need to have a sitter for just a little while more.


End file.
